Mr Gargo's Leeches
by Leah Stone
Summary: this is really just the old one, but i fixed the formatting error. if you read the old one, thanks. if not, definately read this if you like thrilling short stories. it's about a girl named kyle on a different planet. It has a doubletwist ending!


Mr. Gargo's Leeches  
Juli Ruoff  
Science Fiction

"Kyle Samson," that name rang out of the speaker and echoed through the school walls. Normally the Validus High School was filled with noise, but these four syllables left everyone speechless.

Validus was the newest planet. Its name came from a latin word meaning strong, or mighty. Right now this tiny planet hardly seemed strong at all, but someday it would be, they were training kids to make sure that they could rule. On Earth most children care about education, and those who don't normally just have less than perfect lives. However, on Validus education was vital. If you could not succeed in school, and were to weak to fight in war, you were forced to leave.

Every now and then one student would be announced on the school's speaker. The next day they would report to the headmaster's office and рdisappear.с No one knew what happened to those children who just couldn't keep up, but they were never seen again.

Every teacher was shocked and speechless at the name announced, with the exception of Mr. Gargo. He calmly spit out the piece fruit he was chewing on and watched as the trash can destroyed it.

Kyle Samson had long red hair and bright green eyes. She one of Validus High's greatest students. There seemed no reason for her to leave. Well, she had organized a protest against Mr. Semsin, a cruel math teacher who screamed nonstop and rarely taught anything, but she was pretty sure that no one she knew had been there. Why would a teacher attending the same school go? Well, KiS had been there, but what could he do about it? How could a protest get her expelled?

KiS, as he liked to be called, was a bully who really should have been expelled long ago. She remembered what he had said when he saw her. "Some day you'll die, and I hope I'm partly to blame!" It was so awful, yet that didnуt bother Kyle too much. He had always made cruel threats. Why had he cared? No one liked Mr. Semsin. Kyle remembered that look of hatred in his eyes, that was what frightened her most.

Kyle passed KiS in the hallway. She expected him to look delighted, after his performance at the protest, but he looked terrified. It was as if he knew something no one else did. When the eight hour school day ended Kyle stepped outside and gazed the gigantic school. She had always loved it. It had been more of home than a school. "Don't worry," Kyle told herself as she began walking home. She never realized how silent the walk back to her living corridors was. When Kyle arrived at home she reminded herself not to tell her parents. She remembered that if children don't go to school when theyуre announced on the speaker parents are arrested, and sometimes sacrificed! She knew her parents would never let her go to school tomorrow, no matter what consequences!

Kyle knew there had there had to be an explanation foe this. She began to form a plan, she was going to break in to school that night. If there was anything that could save her, it would be there. Her mind was made up.

When the sky became dark Kyle walked to the school and easily picked the lock. She walked to the headmaster's office, рthat's where I'll have to go tomorrow," she thought, shuddering. When she arrived she found it locked, but she heard voices inside. One was of the headmaster, and one was of Mr. Gargo, the school's best science teacher.

"So we're really getting rid of-" Mr. Gargo began to ask.

"Kyle Samson," the headmaster interrupted. Though something sounded odd in the way he said 'samson'  
"I see," Mr. Gargo replied, "I'll leave three leaches on your desk tomorrow"  
"I need five, the kid's too big, it'll go by quicker"  
"I'm not big," Kyle thought, "and I don't like the sound of leeches"

"Five, then," came Mr. Gargo's voice. "Allow me to get them"

"I'll come with you," the headmaster replied. "And let's your whole supply, I don't like the thought of them in your room, I mean, imagine if one of the kids found them!" The door creaked open, and the two men stepped out. They didn't bother locking the door behind them. Once they were out of sight Kyle slipped through.

It was a rather small room. There was a desk covered with papers, and the microphone for making announcements. In one corner was a rather large cabinet, and in the corner opposite it a trash can. That was all. Kyle walked toward it and started examining it. "Omigosh!" she shrieked, "these are the records of every kid that's been expelled!с However, she had no time to read them, for Mr. Gargoуs room wasnуt far away, and the two men were coming back.

Mr. Gargo heaved a sigh as he set a metal bucket down. The headmaster followed. "That tired me out," the headmaster sighed. "Let's get a drink." Both men left the room for a second time that night. Kyle slowly pick up one of the heavy buckets.

It was filled from top to bottom with tiny pink leeches. "So this is what they meant!" Kyle thought. She had to get rid of them. She nervously glanced around the room, then remembered something. The trash can destroys anything you drop in it! Kyle slowly carried the heavy bucket toward the trash can in the corner opposite the cabinet. Suddenly she heard footsteps.

Kyle had nowhere to run, and when Mr. Gargo and the headmaster entered the room she was caught emptying her bucket. The headmaster grabbed her but it was to late, all the leeches were gone.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! You idiot!" The headmaster screamed and pinned her to the floor. Out of the corner of her eye Kyle saw the other bucket, it was very close, she reached out her arm, and pulled it closer. Using every ounce of strength she had, she picked up the other bucket and flung the contents on the head master. Kyle freed herself of his grip, and got up. She stared in disgust, unable to digest what she was seeing. The leeches ate away at the headmasterуs body, very slowly, but surely.  
Mr. Gargo rushed her out of the room. "Let me explain, this wasn't my idea! I created those leeches by accident, and Davi- the headmaster thought it would be the perfect way to make students disappear"

"But why?" Kyle asked, beginning to realize what made those students disappear "So this planet could rule! Anyone who had no knowledge or strength was a waste of food, shelter and clothing." Mr. Gargo explained.

"That's so cruel," Kyle said.

"I know, I just became caught up in it, I couldn't leave. Thank you for destroying those leeches! "

"What do they do?" Kyle asked.

"They release enzymes which destroy the body. Once the body is destroyed the leeches die too. The more leeches, the faster the person dies. It is sick, and everyday I hate myself for telling David about it"

"So could one leech kill someone?" Kyle asked, horrified.

"Yes, it would just take longer." Mr. Gargo replied. She shuddered at the thought of this. "Tomorrow I'll probably be the new headmaster," Mr. Gargo announced, "and I'll put an end to this horror!" Great! Kyle sighed. She felt better knowing this. Mr. Gargo really was nice. Mr. Gargo glanced at his watch. "You should go, see you tomorrow." Kyle knew that she should, but she didnуt want to go out in the dark.  
She decided to ask one last question, the one that had been bothering her all day. Mr. Gargo, why was I going to be killed? "You weren't the one they wanted to kill. It was KiS, the reason he got so upset about your protest," well, рhe's Mr. Semsin's son, Kyle Semsin. The names sound so similar I suppose everyone assumed it was you"

"Wow! I never would have guessed!" Kyle exclaimed. рHow did you know about my protest?с рI was there,с Mr. Gargo said, embarrassed. рI donуt approve of Mr. Semsinуs teaching methods either.с рI still donуt believe it, KiS was going to be killed!с "You saved his life." Mr. Gargo said.

"How ironic!" Kyle said, "but it wasnуt just his life, I saved a generation of kids to come!" She fidgeted with her hair, becoming anxious with this new knowledge. She was relieved that this was over. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

Mr. Gargo's mouth dropped open in horror. It's very strange, how one tiny thing can cause even the greatest to fall. This tiny little thing was crawling up Kyle's neck. How true KiS's words would be, for there, _sitting up Kyle's neck was a peach-colored leech. _


End file.
